Milford Author's Sci-Fi Tale Recast As Cinematic E-Book

"Aria Hahn: The Sena Project" is a science-fiction book set in a future world where once-thriving planets can be reduced to rubble, and the nutrients in the soils extracted to benefit the galaxy's dominant planet. Author John Carnright of Milford admits that the premise of his book sounds like "Avatar,"but "Aria Hahn" was written in 1972, when "Avatar" creator James Cameron was still a teenager.

"It's all about our environmentally negating nature, how we are not paying attention to the Earth's needs as we do our own needs," Carnright says in an interview. "I"m not a rabid environmentalist, but I feel we've taken the planet for granted.

"It's not a preachy book in any way, but there is a message. It is intended to get people into a consciousness where they are looking hard at our planet and what we should do to protect it."

"Aria Hahn" was dusted off in recent years and now has been published in a format that did not exist 40 years ago: as a cinematic e-book. It was released in February.

The 648-page story, available for iPad for $11.99, is enhanced with 30 videos, from 3 to 8 minutes. The videos range in style. Some show scenes from the story performed by actors, such as on a beach setting where two beautiful young people meet and strike up a conversation. Others are rock and symphonic musical interludes. Some show concepts described in the story, such as a "bad astral" and "shock wave weapons."

The videos, most of them produced in Norwalk and Westport, have an appropriately otherworldly feel to them.

Other panels include paintings by Carnright.

"This is a new art form. a hybrid of literature and cinema and also art and music," Carnright says. "One key reason we decided to make it this way is to get reluctant readers to start reading again. By combining cinema and music with the written word, we hope it acts as a kind of stimulant to start reading."

The music for "Aria Hahn" was composed for by Pat Portfolio, and sound effects and mixing are by Brian Keane.

"Aria Hahn," which takes its title from the book's lead character, was produced by Paul Eccel of FilmLit productions, a firm established last year to create cinematic ebooks.

The book, like a movie, is rated. Its rating is 12+ for some violence, sexual content, nudity, and references to alcohol, tobacco or drugs.

To buy a copy of the book, visit itunes.apple.com. For details on the book, visit http://www.ariahahn.com.